Golf-club.



R. H DAVIS. GOLi? CLUB. APPLICATION FILED FEB- 5, 19l5.

1,154,490. 7 PatentedSept. 21, 1915.

5a 1 WW INVE/VTOI? a 12 Roberf H. Dovls ATTORNEYS w/mssm ROBERT HOBART DAVIS, 05 NEW YORK, N. Y.

GOLF-CLUB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 21, 1915.

Application filed February 5, 1915. Serial No. 6,279.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT H. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, county and State ofNeW York, have invented a new and Improved Golfrclub,

of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention is adapted for embodiment in golf clubs of various forms, and has for its prime object the production of a golf club that will enable the player to drive a golf ball a materially increased distance,

and with greater accuracy, by a blow of given force, as compared with the results incident to the use of golf clubs of ordinary to the blow.

form.

WVith a View of carrying out the stated object of the invention, and additional objects as will appear from the following, use is made of a resilient element arranged to constitute the striking face of the club, and adapted by its resiliency to impart the desired increased driving force to the ball.

The practical embodiment of my invention provides a golf club in Which the resilient front plate constituting the striking face of the club, is integral at its rear end with a relatively rigid back, and I provide an element or elements, adjacent to the free end of the face plate, whereby the latter will impinge a ainst and have bearing contact with -the bac plate. The intermediate portion of the face plate is thus adapted to flex and be depressed by a blow delivered against a golf ball. While the front plate is practically in reposeon the bearing contact adjacent to its free end, the contact is nevertheless such as to permit of a rocking or tilting of the free end of the front plate in accommodating itself to the yielding and depression of the centrahportion in response The result of the construction is that a very effective and accurate drive of the ball may be produced without subjecting the resilient element to a breaking strain.

Reference is bad to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a golf club embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on the line 22 I ig. 1; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal transverse section on the line 33 Fig. 1; Fig. 1 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating a slight modification; and Fig. 5 is a cross section on line 55- Fig. 4.

In carrying out my invention in accordance with the illustrated example, the head designated generally by the numeral 10 may, in its general form, be suited to the particular service, and is provided with any approved socket 11. The head 10 is formed with a longitudinal slot 12 extending from the heel of the head outwardly, thereby forming a back 13 and a front element 14 constituting a: face plate. Thus the front element 14 is integral with the back 13 at the heel of the club, but is otherwise separate. The elements 13, 14:, may be parallel With each other or approximately so, as in the illustrated form.

The front element 14: is resilient, being made of spring steel, in order that its resili ency may be utilized in imparting driving force to a golf. club, While the back 13 is relatively rigid. In using the club the back the face plate and at the same time relieve" the same of breaking strain, I provide means adjacent to the front end of the face plate to limit the flexure thereof as a spring arm while leaving the intermediate portion free to respond to the force of the blow. Thus, referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it will be observed that the slot 12 is interrupted near the outer end by a protuberant element 15, which preferably is in the form of a V-shaped rib extending vertically or approximately so, impinging in repose upon the rear of the face plate.

In practice, a blow against a golf ball will result in depressing the unsupported central portion of the face plate, and the resiliency of the latter will be effectively utilized for driving the ball; in the depressing of the face plate the free end thereof is free to have rocking or tilting movement on the V-shaped rib 15 and to freely accommodate itself to the deformation at the cen-' In the modified form shown in Figs. 1 and resilient face plate 14 are substantially as in the first described form. Instead, however, of a single rib 15 on the rigid back 13 the modified form has a plurality of protuberances 15 in vertical alinement on the back of the face plate 141: contacting with the back plate 13, whereby resistance to a blow against the face plate is afforded in the same manner as by the rib 15, while relieving the face plate of breaking strain.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is:

1. A golf club comprising a back, and a resilient face plate united at one end to the said back and having at the free end thereof date itself to the yielding of the intermediate portion in response to a blow.

2. A golf club having a resilient face plate, and a relativel rigid back plate, the two being united at ne end, one of the said plates having a protuberant element impinging against the opposed face of the other plate to afford bearing contact therewith adjacent to the free end of' the face plate and permitting a movement of the face plate relatively to the back plate at the point of contact.

In testimony whereof name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT HOBART DAVIS. Witnesses: A. R. INGALLS,

G. H. 'EMsLIE.

I have signed my 

